Press and display rack



June 16,1931.

J. Q. A. AUBERT PRESS AND DISPLAY RACK Filed May 16, 1928 INVENTOR.

th/1 Mimi/awn A ATTORN Y Patented June 16, 1931 UNITED STATES JOHN o. AMSLER AUBERT, or New YORK, N. Y,

rnnss Ann DISPLAY RACK :Application filed May '16,

This inventionrelates to press and display racks and more particularly refers to improvements in that type of racks which are constituted by a-plurality of hinged units or slats which are adapted to close or open fan fashion about'a common pivotal point.

The primary object of this invention .is to provide a press and display rack of a novel and, improved design provided with snap over spring means adapted to hold the device in its closed or open position at will.

Another object isto provide in a device of the character specified, a novel and improved arrangement of spring acting hinge means forming with the slatsof which the device is composed, an expansiblestructure adapted to adjustitself to the variations in the thickness of the articles'interposed between the slats and adapted at all times to exert pres. sure such as may be required for maintaining said articles in'a' flat and pressed condition. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide in a device of the character specified, the combination with spring acting hinge means providing a yielding connection betweena plurality of units or slats of which the device is composed, means of a novel and simple character for adjustably drawing'together the opposite edges of the slats, causing said slats to remain parallel to and pressed against each other,'when the device is closed, and causing said slats to exert pressure against such articles as may be interposed therebetween. c

- A still further object is to provide an expansible and collapsible rack composed of units or slats connected at one edge by spring acting hinge means and provided with means at the opposite'edge for holding the slats together,which is particularly adapted for use as a portable press and display rack for neckties, of which the device'may hold a considerable number. V V Other objects and advantages of the present invention will more fully appear as the description proceeds and will be set fort and claimed in the appended claims.

Neckties are particularly subject to wrinkling and creasing, and should preferprinted matter, etc.

1928. Serial no, 278,238.

character to be practical it is necessary that its operation be as simple and rapid as possible; V

In devices of this kind it is also a desirable condition that a number of ties be kept neatly pressed at all times and that when the device is opened, all the ties carried thereby be visible and readily accessible in order to en able the user to make a quick selection;

'I havethe'reforeconceived the idea of combining into one, a relatively simple'and efficient device for holding a number of neckties or similar articles in a pressed condition and for quickly exposing to view'all such ties or articles when the device is spread open; the device being furthermore adapted to stand in an upright position and to act "as a display rack if desired;

j As apress and display rack, with suitablemodifications, the device may also be used for holding trousers, skirts,"and other articles of wearing apparel, and asa collapsible dis play rackon1y,thewdevice can also be used in connection with the display of samples, cards,

An e nbodiment'of myinvention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: '4

Fig. 1 is a side view inelevation of my device in its closedposition; v i

Fig. 2 is afront' View in elevation of the same; v

Fig. Bis a viewin perspective of the device in its open position;

Fig. 4. isa side view in elevation of one of the slats of which the device is composed;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the device in its closed but unlocked position;

Fig. 6 isa similar view of the device after looking; and

. Fig.7 is a p lanview of the device in its 95 open position. i V Y 'My' device'consists essentially of aplurality of elongated slatsor panels 10 which are hinged together and to two 'outer slats or panels 11,- 12 along one oftheir longitudinal e edges 18. The slats are normally arranged side by side, being held in a closed or folded up condition by a tension spring 1 connecting the two outer slats or panels 11, 12.

When the device is spread open, its various units will form fan like structure and will be radially directed about a common pivotal point as Fig. 7 shows, and during the openin up movement spring 14, will first be extended up to a point when the two outer slats 11, 12, will be in alignment with each other.

Past this point the spring will once more be free to contract and will cause the device to snap to its open position and to remain open until it is closed by a reverse operation.

By virtue of this arrangement therefore, the device is normally held closed or in its clamping position by the action of spring 14, and is also held open by the action of the same spring which acts as a snap over spring, as will be understood.

Slats or panels 10 are intended to hold the articles which must be pressed or displayed by the device or both. The drawings refer more specifically to a device for pressing and displaying neckties and therefore the slats or panels 10 are preferably provided with a notch or depression 16 at the upper end, from which may be suspended a necktie midway of its length with its two end portions such as 17, hanging down.

The device is shown composed of five tie holding slats or panels and two outer slats or panels 11, 12, therefore the normal capacity of the device is five ties. It is obvious however that two or more ties may be suspended in superimposed relation from the same slat, so that as many as fifteen or twenty ties may be placed upon the five slats or panels 10.

hen the device is closed the ties hanging from one panel abut against the ties hang-' ing from the adjoining panels, so that said ties become clamped between adjoining panels and will be maintained in a fiat and pressed condition, causing all wrinkles in the fabric to disappearin time. p However, it is obvious that for the clamping action to be effective it is necessary that the ties be held tightly betweenthe slats and that the slats be parallel to one another when their clamping action is thus exerted. If the number of ties hung from each slat or panel varies, the spacing between slats must vary accordingly, and still the clamping action must be maintained.

In order to take care of the requirements created by these conditions, I provide an extensible spring acting hinge connection between the various slats or panels in place of hinges of the ordinary nonextensible type.

To this end, I provide the various slats or panels with a number of openings 18, near their hinging edge and I insert therethrough springs 19 which are attached at the two ends to the end slats or panels 11, 12, and which tend together with spring 1% to maintain the device in its closed position.

Springs 19 are somewhat weaker than spring 1 1, although in their totality they may exert a force holding the slats against one another, greater than the force exerted by spring 14; however, when the device is in its open position shown in Fig. 7 spring 1 1 which has a greater leverage will exert a force sufficient to counterbalance the combined tension of springs 19 which gradually increases all the way from the closed to the open position.

By virtue of this construction, when the device is closed, the various slats or panels will arrange themselves at a distance from one another which varies according to the thickness of the ties introduced therebetween,

springs 19 extending or contracting according to the variations in the total width of the device when closed.

It is also necessary as stated, to insure a condition of parallelism between the various slats or panels when the device is closed so that the pressure against the ties may be evenly distributed. To this end the front edges 20 of the various slats or panels may be drawn together and held by means of fastening elements such as chains 21, 22, which are attached at one end to one of the end slats or panels 12, and which may be caused to adjustably interlock with hooks or projections 23. 24 attached to the otherouter slat 11.

When chains 21, 22 are unhooked, the tendency of the device is to remain with its slats slightly spread outwardly as Fig. 5 clearly shows. Byforcing outer slats 11, 12 towards each other, the slats or panels may be forced to reach a parallel arrangement such as shown in Fig. 6, causing a slight extension of springs 19, and chains 21, 22 can then be fastened to their respective hooks or projections, retaining the device in said position. The tension exerted by the springs 19 and by spring 141 will therefore now cause the slats or panels to press evenly against the surface of the ties inserted therebetween.

When the device is in its open position forming a fan like structure such as illustrated in Figs. 3, 7, the various slats or panels are spread apart from one another fully displaying the ties hanging therefrom. Said structure has a relatively wide base formed by the lower ends 25 of the slats, which are arranged along a circumference concentric to the hinged connection between the slats; so that the device will stand upright on any horizontal surface and may be used as a display rack. 1

In order to enable the device to stand upright also when it is closed, the same may be provided with a base such as indicated in dotandv-dash lines at 26 in Fig. 1, said base having an upright 27 attached to the central slat or panel. In this form, the device may be permanently set on top of chifforobe or dresser and may be opened or closed at will. The device is preferably mounted on the stand 27 so as to be detachable therefrom, this permitting of separating the device from the stand when the same is to be packed in a trunk or valise with a supply of ties mounted in position between its slats,

My improved device may be composed of relatively thin panels of'wood or sheet metal or other suitable'material and may be made light and compact so as to take up relatively small space. As stated in the premises, the design of the device may be varied to a certain extent in order to adapt it for other purposes; for instance, the slats may be made relatively wide and adapted to hold and display notices, prints, sample cards, etc., forming an improved type of display rack which may be held in its closed or open posit-ion at Will.

Since various details of construction may be modified without departing from the inventive idea, the drawings will be understood as being intended for illustrative purposes only and not in a limiting sense. I accordingly reserve myself the right to carry my invention into practice in all those ways and manners which may enter, fairly, into the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: V

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a plurality of panel units arranged face to face, hingedly connected along one of their edges, and adapted to open in a fan like structure comprising a plurality of panels radially extending from a substantially common pivotal point, of a snap over spring connecting the two outer panels of said structure,said spring tending to maintain the device in a closed or in an open position.

relative adjustment of the distance separating adjoining units when folded against each other to clamp a thickness of material therebetween, and a snap over spring connecting said two outer units to each other, said spring being adapted to retain the device in both its closed and its open position.

5. A device of the class described, comprising two outer and a plurality of intermediate panel units, arranged face to face, means for yieldingly holding said units against one another along one of their edges, permitting relative adjustment of the distance separating adjoining units when folded against each other to clamp a thickness of material therebetween, means for adjustably fastening together the opposite edges of said two outer units, and a snap over spring connecting said two outer units to each other, said spring being adapted to retain the device in both its.

closed and its open positionQ- 6. A device of the class described, comprising two outer and a plurality of intermediate panel units, arranged face to face, coil springs connecting the two outer units in proximity of one of their edges, said springs passing through the intermediate units inserted therebetween, and forming expansible hinge means for said units, means for adjustably fastening together the opposite edges of said two outerunits, and a snap over spring connecting said two outer units to each other, said spring being adapted to retain the device in 7 both its closed and its open position.

JOHN O. AMSLER .AUBERT.

2. In a device of the class described, the

combination of a plurality of panel units arranged face to face, and coil springs connecting the two outer units in proximity of one of their edges, said springs passing through the intermediate units inserted therebetween, and forming eX'pansible hinge means for said units.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a plurality of panel units arranged face to face, and coil springs connecting the two outer units in proximity of one of their edges, said springs passing through the intermediate units inserted therebetween, V

andforming expansible hinge means for said units, and means for adjustably fastening together the opposite edges of said units.

4. A device of the class described, comprising two outer and a plurality of intermediate panel units, arranged face to face, means for yieldingly holding said units against one another, along one ofjtheir edges, permitting 

